OUR MISSION

The mission of the Mount Laurel Lacrosse Club is to teach and promote the sport of lacrosse at the youth level for children who reside in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

OUR GOALS

In fulfillment of our mission, the Mount Laurel Lacrosse Club strives to achieve the following goals:

Teach the fundamentals of the game in a safe and fun environment for learning and competition

Support the development of skilled lacrosse players for the Lenape High School Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams

Teach personal responsibility, good sportsmanship, and respect for fellow players and the game of Lacrosse

Provide players an opportunity to demonstrate good citizenship through club-sponsored volunteer activities

For our younger players, provide the chance to learn the game of lacrosse without sacrificing other sports and activities vital to their overall and athletic development

Provide ongoing support and endorsement of players in future endeavors such as college competition and jobs through a strong network of coaches, parents and business persons

INSTRUCTION AND PLAY TIME PHILOSOPHY BY GRADE LEVEL

While the philosophy for each grade level is different, our main goal is to foster the development of each player’s lacrosse skills through practice drills and competition.

8U / 1st and 2nd Grade (Little Scoopers) – MLL’s Little Scoopers program serves as the foundation for further participation in our program. This program focuses on teaching the basics of the game (e.g. throwing, catching, rules of the game, etc.) in a fun and positive clinic environment. While Little Scoopers will participate in several scrimmages throughout the season, these scrimmages are intended to provide opportunities to practice their skills in a fun and non-competitive environment. At this level, all players are expected to have equal opportunities for both practices and scrimmages.

10U / 3rd and 4th Grade – Our 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade teams provide children their first opportunity to play organized games against teams from other towns. Typically, the teams at this level are “balanced” (e.g. players are assigned to teams to make all teams similar in terms of skill and competitiveness). Instruction at this level continues to emphasize basic lacrosse skills while introducing strategy, structured plays and how to play various positions. Play time during practices and games should be equal and all players should be given the opportunity to try any position during the course of the season.

12U / 5th and 6th Grade – At the 5th and 6th grade level, the game becomes more competitive and teams may be split by skill level. Instruction continues to reinforce basic lacrosse skills as well as strategy, plays and positions. Over the course of the season, it is expected that all players will get equal playing time but this does not mean all players will get equal playing time at every game. No player should ever play an entire game unless insufficient players or injuries prevent substitutions. All players should get the opportunity to try different positions throughout the course of the year.

14U / 7th and 8th Grade – 7th and 8th grade are critical years for players to fine-tune their skills and obtain maximum knowledge of the game in order to prepare for competitive high school programs. By this level, is expected players will be committed to the lacrosse season. Teams will be split by skill level and playing time at this level is a function of attendance at practice, ability, and effort. While coaches are encouraged to involve all players throughout the season, players participating on the most competitive teams should not expect equal playing time.